6th Ambassadors, Consuls General, and Tourism Directors Tour to the Philippines July 17-23; Special Rates, Top Amenities

Los Angeles, 3 March 2011 – Philippine stature as one of Asia’s most viable and leading tourist destinations takes new dimensions with the 6th Ambassadors, Consuls General, and Tourism Directors Tour (ACGTDT) to the Philippines on 17-23 July 2011.  The Tour includes a visit to and lunch at Malacanang and an audience with His Excellency Benigno Simeon Aquino III, among the highlights.  The Basic Tour is from 17 to 23 July 2011.

Launch ceremonies for the Tour was held last Tuesday, 1 March 2011 at 6:00pm, at the Community Hall of the Philippine Consulate General in Los Angeles.  The event was well attended resulting to a successfull sale for the first 25 seats of the Philippine Airlines.  Similar rites will be held in areas covered by the project.  The Tour began in 2005 as a specially-arranged, special-access tour led by the Philippine Ambassador to the United States.

The Tour is a joint project of all Philippine Foreign Service Posts in the United States (Agana, Chicago, Honolulu, Los Angeles, New York, Saipan, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C.) in cooperation with the Philippine Department of Tourism and Philippine Department of Trade and Industry.

Participants join United States Philippine Ambassadors, all Philippine Consuls General and Tourism Directors in the United States in a tour to selected tourist attractions in the Philippines.

The Tour, an announcement said, “is organized to give those who have not been to the country for sometime to revisit their homeland…Experience the beauty of the country’s top tourist destinations.  Take a vacation with your family and friends.  Explore business opportunities. Meet His Excellency President Aquino”.  North America achieved a growth rate increase of tourism  arrivals of 15.9% as of January 2011.  Consul General Aragon said “ this tour will be a great opportunity for  Fil-Am to meet personally  our new President in Malcanang Palace.”

The Basic Tour is from 17 to 23 July 2011 and covers an Economy roundtrip airfare Los Angeles-Manila-Los Angeles (PAL at US$1,849.00, and Korean Airlines at $1,715.00, including fuel and taxes);  3 nights’ stay with early check-in at Dusit Thani Hotel with buffet breakfasts; audience and photo-op with the President; lunch at Malacanang and tour of the Palace Museum; 3 dinners with entertainment; 3 lunches; day out-of-town tours (choice of: Corregidor, Kulinarya Tour to Cavite/Batangas, or Kulinarya Tour to Laguna/Quezon, or Kulnarya Tour to Pampaga/Bulacan); Manila City tour and Manila Ocean park; grand welcome and airport amenities; business seminars; all transfers, porterage, and more.

Optional out-of-town tours are offered at additional cost.

Deadline for registration is on 30 May 2011, the full-payment deadline 15 June 2011.

For further information or reservation, please contact the Philippine Consulate General, 3600 Wilshire Blvd., 5th Floor, Los Angeles, California 90010; tel. no. (213) 637-3031; fax (213) 639-0990 ; the Philippine Department of Tourism, 3660 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 216, Los Angeles, California 90010; tel. no. (213) 487-4525; fax (213) 386-4063 [E-mail: pdotla@aol.com